Flamingos Thrash Benin to Seal 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualification
Nigeria's Flamingos have booked their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup after defeating Benin Republic 5-3 in the second leg of the final qualifying round at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo.
The victory secured an emphatic 8-5 aggregate triumph for Akeem Busari's side, confirming Nigeria's return to the global tournament scheduled to be hosted by Morocco in October.
The Flamingos made the perfect start, with Mark Akpan opening the scoring just six minutes into the contest. Benin responded quickly through Romaine Gandonou, who restored parity five minutes later.
Nigeria, however, seized control before halftime. Esther Enne Stephen restored the visitors' lead before Queen Joseph added another goal to give the Flamingos a comfortable 3-1 advantage heading into the break.
Joseph extended Nigeria's lead from the penalty spot nine minutes into the second half, putting the visitors firmly in command.
Benin refused to give up, mounting a spirited comeback as Hermionne Lokossou and Gandonou found the net to reduce the deficit to 4-3 and briefly raise hopes of a dramatic turnaround.
Those hopes were extinguished in the 76th minute when Joseph completed her hat-trick, sealing a deserved 5-3 victory on the day and confirming Nigeria's qualification for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
The Flamingos will now shift their focus to preparations for the tournament in Morocco, where they will aim to continue Nigeria's proud tradition in youth women's football.
Opinion:
The Flamingos once again demonstrated why Nigeria remains one of Africa's strongest forces in women's youth football. Despite conceding three goals, the team's attacking quality proved decisive, with Queen Joseph's hat-trick highlighting the depth of talent emerging through the ranks. As they prepare for Morocco 2026, tightening up defensively will be important, but their fearless attacking approach gives them every reason to believe they can challenge the world's best.
